Belfast Orangefest invites public to share ideas on making Twelfth celebrations as inclusive as possible
The Orange Order in Belfast is inviting the public to share its ideas to help shape its events, outreach, and celebrations.
The project is being led by Belfast Orangefest, which was first established by the County Grand Lodge of Belfast in 2007.
The organisation is designed to modernise the Twelfth of July celebrations to make them more accessible, inclusive, and relevant to contemporary Belfast.
William Mawhinney, director of development of Belfast Orangefest, said: “We believe Orangefest has the potential to be a powerful platform for community celebration, education, and unity. But that only works if we listen – really listen – to the people it represents. This strategy is an open invitation for the public to help us shape a festival that speaks to today’s Northern Ireland.”
The initiative will see the development of a refreshed brand and messaging as well as a marketing strategy, led by Belfast-based media and marketing agency Excalibur Press.
Excalibur Press strategist and chief vision officer, Tina Calder, said the project is about more than just the development of Orangefest, but about “people, stories and cultural connection”.
She added: “Our goal is to work collaboratively with communities to develop messaging and engagement strategies that are authentic, respectful, and meaningful.
“We want to ensure Orangefest reflects the values of the people involved in it and resonates with wider society, both now and in the future.”
As part of the campaign, Excalibur Press will deliver a comprehensive strategy covering stakeholder engagement, marketing and PR, content development, media analysis, and brand storytelling.
A key focus will be exploring how the history and values behind Orangefest can be communicated in ways that inspire curiosity, bridge divides, and build understanding.
Members of the public are invited to register their interest in participating.
Ms Calder said that supporters, curious observers, or community members with ideas to share should fill out an expression of interest form, which can be found at: https://forms.gle/d21E3PsFB3u2f9UE7
The rejuvenation of Belfast Orangefest is led by a board of directors, who are working towards increasing city centre footfall, supporting tourism growth, developing a wider community engagement programme, and strengthening inter-community relations.
Back in June, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons announced £40,000 for the initiative.
“This support will enable Orangefest to engage with other bodies to make this year’s Twelfth of July celebrations an even more inclusive and family friendly event,” he said.
“Orange celebrations are one of the largest, long-standing events of their kind in Belfast, attracting tens of thousands of domestic visitors, and year-on-year, increasingly many more from Great Britain, the Republic of Ireland and many other parts of the world.”
Orangefest director Spencer Beattie welcomed the funding as “an important step forward for Belfast Orangefest”.
He said: “It gives us the opportunity to work behind the scenes to secure the necessary funding and partnerships to not only to reinvigorate the Twelfth of July celebrations, but also to deliver a year-round programme that reflects the heritage, culture and diversity of our city.”